Chinua Achebe was considered one of the greatest African writers of modern fictional literature during his life. He had been called “the father of modern African literature” by Nadine Gordimer and had been credited with “inaugurating the modern African novel.” His works have been critically acclaimed for years, but to truly understand his literature, one must understand his life story. He or she must also look at his background, professional life and education, and the strange stories and conspiracies told about him. Achebe was born on November 16, 1930, in Eastern Nigeria and was given the name Albert Chinualumogu. His parents, Isaiah and Janet Achebe, were missionaries of the Christian faith and roamed Nigeria in an attempt to convert
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He lived the life of a handicap for the next thirteen years, until tragedy struck. On the date of March 21, 2013, Achebe passed away in Boston, Massachusetts after suffering from a brief illness. Although he is now dead, he was, is, and will be remembered for his works and his influence on others for years to come.
Chinua Achebe’s career began long before he ever wrote his first novel. He was an avid reader, an intelligent young man, and a gifted student, which eventually led to the offer of a scholarship in the medical field at University College. Achebe was still an outstanding student but felt as though the science field did not suit him. If he left the medical field, he would lose his scholarship, but after gaining financial support from family, he transferred into the field of literature, which would change his life …show more content…
He still received many awards for these works including the Commonwealth Poetry Prize for his poetry book titled “Beware Soul Brother (no awards for short stories but they are critically acclaimed), but not any piece compared to his novels. After “Things Fall Apart,” Achebe wrote four other novels centered around the African biases and the cultural life of Nigerians that western civilization had not yet seen. The first was titled “No Longer at Ease,” the second “Arrow of God,” his third was “A Man of the People,” and the last, which took over twenty years to write, “Anthills of Savannah.” His awards for these novels consist of the Margaret Memorial Prize, the Nigerian National Trophy for Literature, the Booker Honor, and the Jack Campbell New Statesman
He lived the life of a handicap for the next thirteen years, until tragedy struck. On the date of March 21, 2013, Achebe passed away in Boston, Massachusetts after suffering from a brief illness. Although he is now dead, he was, is, and will be remembered for his works and his influence on others for years to come.
Chinua Achebe’s career began long before he ever wrote his first novel. He was an avid reader, an intelligent young man, and a gifted student, which eventually led to the offer of a scholarship in the medical field at University College. Achebe was still an outstanding student but felt as though the science field did not suit him. If he left the medical field, he would lose his scholarship, but after gaining financial support from family, he transferred into the field of literature, which would change his life …show more content…
He still received many awards for these works including the Commonwealth Poetry Prize for his poetry book titled “Beware Soul Brother (no awards for short stories but they are critically acclaimed), but not any piece compared to his novels. After “Things Fall Apart,” Achebe wrote four other novels centered around the African biases and the cultural life of Nigerians that western civilization had not yet seen. The first was titled “No Longer at Ease,” the second “Arrow of God,” his third was “A Man of the People,” and the last, which took over twenty years to write, “Anthills of Savannah.” His awards for these novels consist of the Margaret Memorial Prize, the Nigerian National Trophy for Literature, the Booker Honor, and the Jack Campbell New Statesman